ONE LIFE ECOLOGY
Mount Carlees Farm
This integral ecological project within the 48 acres of farmland is now in its 26th Year. It is an intentional effort that began with the help of rare bread pigs, cattle and goats – rotavating, grazing and fertilising, to gradually transform this land, that had been suffering neglect, into its now species rich ecology. Having also planted 2,000 broadleaf trees in the first year, the farm now comprises of two woods – marsh – moor – heath – wild flower meadows – hedges and wild woodlands, together with selective sites for cultivation.
In the middle region of the ancient field layout of the farm are the dwellings, barn, and outbuildings, together with an art studio and gallery.
This wonderful habitat, now rich in flora – grasses – sedges – reeds – rushes – hedgerows – trees and wildflowers, including several red list species, supports the multivariate population of spiders – moths – butterflies – and other insects, thus the bird population has thrived – at the last count, thirty two nesting species, with eight on the endangered red list.
This Wildlife Sanctuary has in time become naturally populated with deer – fox – badger – squirrel – hedgehog and a multitude of little critters nesting underground and in the grasses. Adders home in the stone walls and toads and lizards abound. Bats and owls populate the night and the majestic barn owl and other birds of prey hunt the meadows.
The old farmhouse was renovated, and two farm buildings converted to dwellings, with the intelligent guidance of a local architect that has a love of traditional building methods, using local stone and timber, with lime mortar and Cornish slate where possible. All completed in such a manner as speaks well of the human presence in the place.
The project has now been joined by a few inspiring young people with a value for the ecology to form an open community and bring about a new phase: this is the cultivation of the areas mentioned to grow vegetables and other crops such as Mexican corn. These self-managed small market garden enterprises are fully sympathetic to, and integrated within the ecological project as a whole.
The entire farm has been recommended for a Cornish Wildlife Site, and will be cared for as such, with the help of Dartmoor ponies. A website called the One Life Forum will be ready soon and we hope to contribute further and more detailed articles to this newsletter. We close with a note of sincere appreciation for the wonderful efforts of the Lizard Wildlife Groundswell team and a quote from Thomas Berry ….
“The universe is a community of subjects – and not a collection of objects”
To contact Diana at Mount Carlees Farm please email
